Tudor Evening at The Star and Dove

The Star and Dove in Totterdown are doing something a bit different this year for Christmas. Amongst other things they are offering a Tudor feast for people to try out, complete with Tudor decorations. Upstairs in The Dining Room they are also offering food from Tudor to the Victorian age themed menu in the evening which offers much for the adventurous eater. We were invited, along with some other bloggers and foodies from the area to sample some of the creations they had been concocting. 

Tudor decorated tables

Potatoes in Edible Clay

The food was unlike anything I had tasted before, some of the paring were rather unusual but definitely interesting, with mullets in gravy, crab surrounded by hippocras jelly, wonderful sea bream in sweet wine, tasting rather like teriyaki marinade, and of course Tudor mulled wine, or as it's known, Hippocras. This was nicer than any standard mulled wine it can be served hot or cold, we had it cold this time. It was made with white wine and spices, of which I shall provide the recipe which has been passed on from The Star and Dove, and was so delicate and deliciously perfumed I could have drank a whole tank of the stuff. My favourite food item of the night was the dessert, baked orange custard, it was creamy and spiced with a hint of orange brought out as frosted miniature oranges, perfection.

So if you fancy something a bit different this year check out the Star and Dove's festive offering, it's a really lovely pub, especially in Winter with it's fires. And without further ado here is the recipe to make your own Hippocras, makes a nice change to regular mulled wine, much lighter, especially if made with white wine. I personally would make it with white wine and served chilled to bring out the perfume of all the spices. 

Hippocras

1 Bottle of white wine such as chardonnay or good red claret
10g whole cinnamon
5g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
0.5g crushed fresh nutmeg
6 cloves
100g caster sugar
3g grains of paradise (available here)
2 fresh bay leaves
1g dried long pepper, crushed
1 small sprig fresh rosemary

Place all ingredients in a non-metallic bowl. preferably tupperware with a lid and leave to stand covered at room temperature for 24 hours. Then pass the ingredients through a muslin cloth and chill. Serve chilled or if you are feeling the cold warm it up and snuggle under a blanket.